A game-ending, three-run fifth inning by Caribbean champ Curacao spelt the end for the Little League World Series dreams of the Hastings All-Stars.
The Canadian champions dropped a nailbiting 4-3 decision to Pariba Little League champion Willemstad before nearly 5,000 onlookers at the World Little League baseball championships at Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Monday.
Hastings was just two innings away from a berth into the second round of the double-knockout tournament when Mychellon Jansen clubbed a two-run dinger off starting pitcher Cole Dalla-Zanna that stood up as the game-winner.
The inning started with Caribbean runners reaching base on a passed ball and an infield error. One run was batted home on a sacrifice fly that shaved the deficit to 3-2.
"It happens. We gave them the opportunity," said Hastings manager Vito Bordignon from Williamsport. "They took advantage of the opportunity we gave them and we didn't take advantage of our hits."
The All-Stars opened the 2012 World Series with a 13-9 win over Mexico last Friday.
Steven Moretto of Burnaby went three-for-three at the plate with three hits, two runs and one run batted in in the victory over Mexican champion Oriente Little League.
Dalla-Zanna scored a game-high four runs on two hits, while Carson Ho also reached home plate on two other occasions.
Infielder and leadoff hitter Kolby Buljevic chipped in with a hit and a RBI in the opening game. Noah Hanson-Stafford also scored a run for the Canadian champs.
Atura Yamaguchi pitched four strong innings to post the win for Hastings.
On Sunday, Hastings dropped an 8-3 decision to unbeaten Aguadulce of Panama.
Moretto, whose double was one of three hits for Hastings, took the loss on the mound, giving up eight hits and five earned runs. Dalla-Zanna had the team's only RBI in the contest.
"(Mexico) was a great win, but I'm not sure we came down from that win," said Bordignon of the subsequent loss to Panama.
"We faced a very good pitcher who confused us. Thirteen strikeouts is unusual for us."
Hastings also went down swinging on 10 other occasions in the game against Curacao.
After Morretto's two-out double scored Buljevic to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the third, Hanson-Stafford put Hastings into the lead with a two-run dinger in the fourth inning.
"That was a big hit at a big time for us," said Bordignon. "Unfortunately it happened too early. I thought we had the game right there."
Bortignon praised Dalla-Zanna for pitching a great game in the loss.
Dalla-Zanna threw 87 pitches, allowing just three hits while striking out nine Caribbean batters.
"(Dalla-Zanna) did his job," Bortignon said, adding the Hastings team has been in pressure situations before but none like at Williamsport.
"They've done it before, but not at this stage. It's tough for them," Bortignon said.
"They played as hard as they could and represented Canada very well."
